Clothes-line controller.



-T. B. DEVINE.

CLOTHES LINE CONTROLLER.

A PPLIOATI-0N FILED JAN.25,1912.

1,028,099. Patented June 4, 1912.

UNITED STATES PATENT @FFTQE.

TIMOTHY B. DEVINE, OF VTATERBURY, CONNECTICUT.

CLOTHES-LINE CONTROLLER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, TIMOTHY B. DEVINE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of \Vaterbury, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clothes-Line Controllers, which improvements are fully set forth in the following specification.

This invention relates to improvements in clothes-line controllers, and particularly to clothes-line controllers such as commonly made use of in connection with so-called pulley lines, for holding, at all times and under all conditions, the opposite runs of the line duly separated; and its object is to provide a device of the character indicated, which shall be simple and inexpensive as regards construction, durable, efficient and reliable in practical service, convenient in its application to practical purposes, and which shall possess certain well-defined advantages over prior analogous constructions.

The invention consists in the combinations, details and parts whereby, together with the novel disposition and relative arrangeinent of said parts, the attainment of the foregoing object is rendered practicable, all of which will be hereinafter more specifically referred to and set forth in the appended claims.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein similar reference numerals denote like parts throughout the respective views, as to which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view showing a clothes-line controller embodying my said improvements, and more particularly its application to a clothes-line of the so-called pulley type, a portion of the staff thereof, with the sleeve or sleeves carried thereby, being broken away. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a view of same, mainly in central, longitudinal section, the device as a who-1e being turned on its axis ninety degrees from the position the same is shown as occupying in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail cross-section, taken through the staff of my improved controller, with one of the sleeves carried thereby, the scale being enlarged.

In carrying out my invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, I make use of a stafi 2, of any suitable material, metal, however, in the form of a rod Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 25, 1912.

Patented June 4, 1912. Serial No. 673,385.

or wire of appropriate gage being preferred. In practice this stafl traverses the space intervening between the opposite runs of a clothes-line of the so-called pulley type, and its prime function is to hold said line-runs, at all times and under all conditions, duly separated, the one from the other.

For convenience in further describing my improved clothes-line controller, the same will be treated as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and the terms upper, lower and the like, when referring there to, or to any feature thereof, will be used accordingly.

To the end that the stall 2 may be readily applied for service, relatively to the opposite runs of the'clothes-line aforenamed, it becomes advisable that the same be provided at its opposite ends with line-engaging mediums, adapted, in one instance, to engage the upper run of said clothes-line, and in the other instance, the lower run thereof. Accordingly I provide the staff 2, at its upper end, with a line-engaging medium which comprises a shank 3, having formed integral therewith and rising therefrom a frame-member 3, merged at its top into a crown 3", which, in turn, is merged into a second frame-member 4:, which projects downwardly in parallelism with the frame-member 3, suitably spaced therefrom, said frame-members, connected by the crown 3 in the manner indicated, constituting a sheave-socket within which freely turns a small sheave 4, as on the short arbor 4", the latter occupying vertical slot-like openings. 5, 5, formed, respectively, in the frame-members 8', 4, and being adapted to shift upwardly and downwardly therein, under corresponding upward and downward shifting of the sheave 4;, all as will more fully appear hereinafter.

It will be observed that the frame-member 4, considered in its downward projection from the crown 3", terminates short of the shank 3, thereby leaving an opening or a mouth 6, for the passage laterally of a portion of said clothes-line into the sheavesocket aforenamed, for engagement with the sheave 4, and outwardly therefrom, as occasion may make needful, all as will also more fully appear hereinafter.

The shank 3 is provided with an axial recess 6, which is occupied by the adjacent end-portion of the staff 2, and these parts may be serviceably oined together, as by the process of soldering, brazing, or in any other convenient and well-known manner.

The staff 2 is further provided, at its lower end, with a line-engaging medium which comprises, in this instance, a body 6", a shank 7 and hook 7 formed integral therewith, and a spring-controlled tongue 7", the latter occupying an axial recess 7, formed in the body 6", working therein, and normally closing the space intervening between the body 6 and the adjacent, free end of the hook 7, said tongue carrying a finger-piece 8 whereby the same may be duly actuated, and the whole approximating in general character a snap-hook of a common and well-known form. The shank 7 is provided, also, with an axial recess 8, which is occupied by the adjacent end-portion of the staff 2, and these parts may be likewise serviceably joined together, as by the process of soldering, brazing, or in any other convenient and well-known manner.

As thus far described, my improved clothes-line controller may embody a staff 2 of substantial rigidity or measurable flexibility, as found advisable in practice; but in either case I purpose mounting thereon an elongated sleeve 8", of any suitable material, wood being preferred. The sleeve 8" has an axial opening angular in cross-section, and essentially co-extensive with the length thereof.

The angularity of the opening just referred to may be conveniently and, as I believe, best secured by forming or cutting a kerf 9 longitudinally along the sleeve aforenamed, and to a depth suitably beyond the axis thereof; said kerf being thereafter closed by a filler 9, of wood or other appropriate material, and said filler terminating in a fiat, inner edge at a point suitably short of the axis, and having its outer edge shaped to co-incide with the exterior conformation, of said sleeve, all as clearly indicated in Fig. 4: of the drawings.

The staff 2 being circular in cross-section, the angular cross-sectional form of the axial opening aforenamed, of the sleeve 8, not only insures a line contact between said staff and said sleeve, thereby reducing to a minimum all friction between these parts, but provides an open way, or a plurality thereof, at the circumference of the staff 2, for

gree, corrosion, warping, cracking, and similar objectionable effects on the parts, commonly traceable to adverse weather conditions.

The filler 9 may be pinned, or otherwise fastened, in place within the kerf 9, as indi-v cated in Fig. l-.

It will be understood that the rigidity or flexibility of the staff 2 is dependent on the diameter t-hereof the larger its diameter the greater its rigidity, and the smaller its diameter the greater its flexibility.

If the stafl 2 carries a single sleeve 8", c0- extensive, or thereabout, with its own length, it is immaterial whether said staff be rigid or flexible; and while a rigid staff carrying a single sleeve 8, or a plurality thereof, may be advantageously used, I prefer to make use of a staff of comparatively small diameter, hence more or less flexible, and mount thereon a plurality of sleeves 8", as clearly illustrated in the drawings. In this latter case, each sleeve 8 reinforces and strengthens that portion of the staff 2 lying within itself, while flexture of said staff, at intervals therealong, as at the joints between the sleeves made use of, is permitted; and in this connection said sleeves, by abut ting more or less endwise against, and binding on, each its neighbor or neighbors, as under any general flexure of the device as a whole, restrict within reasonable limits flexaforenamed, and accordingly still serve to reinforce and strengthen said staff at said intervals.

The employment of a sleeve 8", or a plurality thereof, makes practicable the use of a staff of comparatively small diameter, and this insures, at all times, the keeping of the weight of the device as a whole to the lowest consistent limit, cheapening of the construction thereof, the prevention of any permanent setting or distortion of the staff 2, and marked advantages in the practical operation of my improved controller; while, the staff 2 being flexible and carrying a plurality of the sleeves 8", an important characteristic, in the way of general flexibility, is secured for the entire device.

6, is of sufficient radii,relatively to the diam eter of the clothes-line in connection with to be used, to efiectually prevent, under all general conditions and inthe manner here inafter explained, voluntary disengagement of said clothes-line from said sheave, and escapement thereof from the sheave-socket hereinbefore referred to, as by way of the mouth 6.

As to the application of my improved controller for practical service, the user, holding the sheave 4 to the limit of its play ure of the staff 2, at the intervals therealong which my improved controller is intended Attention is here called to the fact that j V the flange of the sheave 4: nearest the month away from the shank 3, and so that its flange referred to in the next preceding paragraph clears the mouth 6, passes laterally, by way of said mouth, the upper run as 2 of the clothes-line in connection with which the device is to be used, into the sheave-socket aforenamed, and into the peripheral groove of the sheave l, at the lower side thereof, the device, as a whole, thus becoming suspended from the upper run of said clothesline. Then, tongue 7 of the line-engaging medium at the lower end of the device, having been manipulated against its controlling spring 10, Fig. 1, so as to clear the space intervening between the body 6 and the adjacent free end of the hook 7, the user passes laterally the lower run as 2 of said clothes-line into hook 7 and releases the tongue 7"; which tongue returns, thereupon, to its normal position, with its free end abutting against the free end aforenamed of said hook, thereby securing, loosely or more or less firmly, according to the diameter of the clothes-line being made use of, the lower run of said clothes-line within said hook.

The device having been thus adjusted for service, under any relative actions of the opposite runs of said clothes-line, which shall result in the lifting, bodily, of my improved controller, whether in a vertical or more or less inclined direction, such actions of the opposite runs of the clothes-line being produced in any manner whatsoever, as by atmospheric disturbances, sheave l, by reason of its play toward and away from the shank 3, will not accompany said device in the latters movements, bodily, aforenamed, until its flange, hereinbefore particularly referred to, shall have been brought into a position, as against the shank 3, to close the mouth 6, for the purposehereinbefore specified. Thus, it will be seen that sheave l not only automatically controls the mouth 6, but, and this irrespective of whether the lineengaging medium at the lower end of staff 2, loosely or more or less firmly engages the lower run of the clothesline, permits a to and fro tilting or swaying movement of the device, co-incident with the upper run of said clothes-line; this feature of the device, together with the rotatability of the sleeve or sleeves 8 on staff 2, and the general flexibility, when present, of the construction, tending markedly to overcome objectionable contingencies, such, for ex ample, as would follow the formation of ice on the device, parts thereof, or the runs of the clothes-line in connection with which the device may be used, said device, accordingly, being more or less capable of freeing itself from such conditions. Again, any portion of a garment, or other flexible article, suspended, say from the lower run of said clothes-line, for drying, airing, or other pur poses, and which shall, as under more or less violent atmospheric disturbances, become encircled around the sleeve 8", or different ones thereof, when more than one of same are used, or thrown over and upon the upper run of said clothes-line, will, for the reasons stated, tend to free itself from such contingencies.

here a single sleeve 8 is usd it may be provided at its opposite ends with suitable recesses for the occupancy of the shanks 3 and 7, respectively; and where a plurality of said sleeves are used, the one at the lower endportion of staff 2 may be provided with a similar recess for the occupancy of the shank 7, while the one at the upper endportion of said staff may be provided with a like recess for the occupancy of the shank 3, all as clearly illustrated in the drawings.

It will be seen that my improved clothesline controller is well adapted for the purposes for which it is intended, and further that the same may be modified to a considerable extent, particularly as regards the character of the line-engaging mediums made use of at the opposite ends of staff 2, the number of sleeves 8 made use of, the rigidity or flexibility of the staff 2, and minor details of the general construction, without departing from the spirit and principle of my invention.

I claim:

1. A controller for a so-called pulley clothes-line, comprising a staff having, at its upper end, a sheave-socket provided with a mouth and supporting a sheave, and at its lower end, a line-engaging medium adapted to more or less firmly engage the lower run of said clothes-line, said sheave being movably mounted in said socket and adapted to close said mouth when casually disengaged from the upper run of the clothesline.

2. A controller for a so-called pulley clothes-line, comprising a stafl having, at its upper end, a sheave-socket provided with a lateral mouth, and a sheave, the latter rotatably mounted within said socket, and shiftable by its own gravity in opposite directions for closing and opening said month, said staff being provided, at its lower end, with a line-engaging medium adapted to more or less firmly engage the lower run of said clothes-line.

8. In a clot-hesline controller, a line-engaging medium consisting of a shank, suitably-spaced, aarallel frame-members, one of which rises from said shank, both being con nected at their ends most distant from said shank, by a crown, and one thereof, in its projection from said crown, terminating short of said shank, thereby forming a mouth; slotlike openings formed, one in each of said frame-members, in line with said shank; an arbor working in said openings, and a sheave on said arbor, said sheave, under the shifting movements of said arbor,

I engaging mediums at its opposite ends, and

duly supported line-engaging mediums and an elongated member rotatably disposed in- 10 termediate thereof.

TIMOTHY B. DEVINE.

Within the slot-like openings aforenamed, being adapted to automatically control said mouth.

4. A controller for a so-called pulley clothes-line, comprising a stafi having line- Witnesses:

JOSEPH G. GUILFOILE, PAUL SUMMA.

a sleeve rotatably mounted thereon.

5. A clothes-line controller comprising Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

